Mother Yashoda Adorns Her Baby Gopala

The baala Gopala was a wise, thoughtful child. The word ‘baala’ is Sanskrt for child and the name Gopala references the childhood of Lord Krishna. Even as He stands naked on a soft bed of blue velvet as His mother the lovely Yashoda toys with Him, He looks ahead of Him with great solemnity of composure. His diminutive, adorably chubby frame is supported by Yashoda, who in turn gazes at Him with all the fervour of maternal compassion.In a private chamber within their home in Vrindavan, where there is only a tiny window to let in a modest quantum of light. Built into the grey mud walls of the background is a column of shelves from floor to ceiling, a common feature in the rural homes of the subcontinent. The same are lined with the family’s choicest chests and utensils. The mother and child are in the foreground: out of an old velvet-lined sandook (chest) she pulls out the finest jewels in her possession and bedecks her little baby with them.Note the sharp contrast between the vivid colours of the foreground and the matte grey background. Fresh jasmines hold the mother’s bun in place; gold and pearls adorn her neck and ears and nose. A pale purple-coloured saree and glimmering gold bangles. There is the signature peacock plume in Lord Gopala’s black hair and streams of pearls in His hair and around His neck. With His delicate infantine hands He clutches at a necklace of gold and rubies.